


An Undercover and Unit Chief Walk Into a Bar

by aquazephyrus



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Alcohol, Friendship, Gen, Reunion
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-27
Updated: 2014-07-27
Packaged: 2018-02-10 16:11:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2031456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aquazephyrus/pseuds/aquazephyrus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, luck has a funny little way with reuniting old faces in an aptly named bar of Phoenix, Arizona.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Undercover and Unit Chief Walk Into a Bar

**Author's Note:**

> The one thing I got accomplished for the Tumblr CM fandom extravaganza known as #elleweek was a fan fiction. I should be ashamed. Feel free to punch me for being such a fart this week that all I did was actually this.
> 
> Set post season 9 for obvious reasons.

When he quietly entered Lucky's, the room was empty except for one patron alone at the counter. Not another person could be seen having that typical Friday drink, and Dash was quietly playing the piano in the corner as per usual. He glanced at his phone and switched a setting to vibrate before walking up to the counter and nodding to the bartender. "Hard. On the rocks." 

It had been a long week in Phoenix, and even though the team was finished and having dinner together, the unit chief had slipped out to have a drink of his own and to be alone with himself. 

The other person's eyes glanced over for a brief instant before they turned back to her drink, lifting the glass to her lips as Hotchner sat down a seat away. She wanted to do a double-take of sorts, but for all she knew, it could've blown her cover right then. Instead, she spoke above a whisper, but the cracked tone was enough to make the other look over. "Penny for your thoughts?" 

It took a second before Aaron realized who it was, his own voice just as quiet. "...Elle?" 

"Hello, Hotch." 

All the man could do was stare for a good minute at his ex-agent. Ex-partner, sort of, as she had another drink of scotch with a small little smile etching on to her features. Her hair was long, past her shoulders and still that luscious brown from years ago. The eyes were different-- exhausted and pained. Tired of all the things she had seen. The smile didn't meet her eyes. 

The unit chief took this in for a good solid minute before he looked back to his drink. "...long time since I've seen a familiar face." 

"Nine years is long enough." Elle chuckled roughly into her beverage and sighed. "What brings you all the way out here?" 

Now the man had a dry smile of his own at the question. "...serial killer contacting the media. They never do that anymore, and we were asked out." 

She blinked with that look at him. "You're still...?" 

He had to nod. There was so much to talk about, but there was more she didn't need to know. She didn't need to know he'd been through five teammates with one returning in top profiling form, too many bottles of liquor, and too much death of his own. But he took the drink to his lips and breathed gently on the glass. "Still there. After all these years, even I wonder how." 

Elle tilted her head slightly at this and turned to him. Genuine interest was now flickering in those eyes. 

"You remember how you once asked how to not let the job get to you? And I said find a way to not let it?" 

She chuckled a little. "I still ask that question every day." 

The scotch trickled down his throat, burning. 

"...I'm not sure I know anymore." 

At this, the undercover agent had to frown a little. "You? The... the great unit chief of the BAU for nine years going on ten don't know anymore?" It was a slight attempt at a tease. "I thought you knew everything." 

Aaron couldn't bring himself to smile at that. "After you lose members of your own for various reasons over the years, you wonder... if you could have done anything to prevent it." 

Elle bit the inside of her lip. She wanted to reach out and squeeze that shoulder gently, but instead she could only watch him have another sip of the beverage. 

Aaron Hotchner was a team leader. He knew how to direct others, and he knew how to keep his emotions in check a good majority of the time. But right then, her few years of profiling and even watching other people unconsciously made her look closer at the other man. And what she saw made her unconsciously wince. 

There was something... dark about the man. Maybe shards of goodness did exist in some form in him, but he was a very changed man. He had seen a great many things and had probably done a lot in his last ten years that he regretted. Maybe some day she would find out somehow. Take a vacation and go visit him and take him for coffee. She knew some corner cozies to do that. But for now... 

...what she saw almost scared her. And not a lot could actually do that anymore. 

They were silent for another few minutes before Aaron pulled out a fifty and laid it on the table. Elle glanced at it and him. "Going already?" 

He nodded a little. "It's late. I need to get back." 

"...hey, hold on a second." 

Aaron paused. 

"You think when you're... I dunno. When you're back home. We could meet up again at some point? I don't know." She turned her lips up slightly. "Reconnect?" 

This time, the smile actually met her eyes. And Aaron's little one did the same thing. 

Elle's stomach almost fluttered. 

"That--sounds good," he agreed quietly. "You know how to find me, I would think. ...maybe after your assignment later."  

Her jaw nearly dropped, but Aaron had to look down. "Don't worry. No one will know." 

With that and a nod to the bartender and to Elle, he was out the door and into the cool Phoenix night. Elle watched him slip out and disappear from sight before the bartender walked over with confusion written on his features. "Who was that guy?" 

"Old boss," Elle replied easily. "And someone I think I'd like to catch up with real soon."


End file.
